Personal safety is not like a light switch that you can turn on or off. The personal safety switch must continuously be in the “ON” position. Most importantly because we feel safe, does not necessarily mean that we are. On the contrary, feeling safe all the time could be the biggest threat to our well-being, because we are drifting into that complacent mode. This is especially so, when accompanied by a lack of awareness of present dangers or process deficiencies. Workplace complacency can lead to increased risk of injury, poor employee morale and decreased productivity. In all industries, particularly high-risk industries, such as construction and manufacturing, it is critical that leaders take proactive steps to combat and prevent workplace complacency.
Why are we so complacent about our workplace safety? As adults our injury frequency has dropped dramatically from our childhood, so it is natural for us to feel that we are “safe enough”. This is further compounded by the fact that the number of off-the-job injuries and fatalities for employees, is far greater than the number that occurs on the job. Additionally, in Barbados, annual workplace injury and fatality statistics are not published – out of sight, out of mind!
Why is Complacency A Concern?
Workplace complacency is a concern because it is likely to lead to unsafe acts contributing to near misses, injuries or even a fatality. Many of our jobs are repetitive in nature, and the more we repeat what we are doing, the likelihood increases that we are becoming complacent without even realising it occurs. Additionally, we become complacent about our personal safety by repeated exposure to situations without consequence. We become comfortable and operate in “autopilot” mode.
Effects of Complacency
Some actions and behaviours associated with workplace complacency may include:
- Inattention to the work tasks or work environment
- Taking shortcuts/rushing to complete assignments
- Assuming that everyone is aware of the safety and health requirements for the job
- Lack of engagement in meetings
- Lack of leadership engagement on safety-related issues
- Changes in worker attitudes
- Increases in at-risk behaviours
If left unaddressed, workplace complacency can develop into stagnant, unsafe work environments where incident rates increase and where teams are not challenged to think strategically, to achieve self-development or grow the business through innovation. In order to effectively reduce complacency in the workplace, we first need to understand what factors may be influencing it in the first place. Consider the following:
- No/Poor Employee Training – Non-existent or inadequate safety and health training. The training fails to engage and motivate the target audience. This may lead to an inability to identify risks, creating a false sense of security.
- Lack of Incident Reporting – Near misses or accidents may not be reported. A reporting culture fostered by training and supported by well communicated policies and procedures, with robust enforcement, may not exist. This may create a narrative that safety and health really isn’t important.
- Unchallenging Work – Completing repetitive tasks can become mundane.
- Very Good Safety Management Systems – Accidents may seldom occur, consequently influencing perceptions and behaviours into a comfort zone of complacence.
- Lack of Risk Assessments – Familiarity and experience may result in perceptions that this activity is unnecessary.
In identifying the factors that may be contributing to complacency, we can better understand how at-risk behaviour is often encouraged and supported. The next step, therefore, should be to focus on developing the safety habits that will help us to not only achieve safe and healthy workplaces, but also employees who have the skills and motivation to work safely.
Consider these tips towards avoiding workplace complacency.
- Create a strong reporting culture where all incidents including near miss reporting is encouraged.
- Promote mental and physical preparedness for job tasks.
- Adopt environmental wellness initiatives, by creating more comfortable workspaces.
- Perform risk assessments prior to conducting work.
- Do not assume that years of experience will eliminate the possibility of errors taking place.
- Establish a learning culture where safety training is frequent and engaging.
- Develop, communicate, and enforce workplace safety and health procedures. Review periodically and update when necessary.
- Engage/consult regularly on safety and health matters at all levels of the business.
One key to avoid the complacency trap, is to form safety habits – Habits that we practice continuously until they override our former unsafe behaviours and become automated. Complacency is a known problem and must be clearly recognised as a causal factor in accidents. There is no cure for complacency, but we must be diligent in our prevention efforts. As leaders, we must strive to keep employees engaged and fulfilled by their work. Likewise, when workers are empowered to be at their healthiest (mentally and physically), they are able to report to work at their best – decreasing the probability of complacency.